Machine for applying solder to sheet-metal blanks.



Patented Mar. l8, I902.

(Application filed Oct. 17, 1901.1

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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Patented Mar. l8, I902.

G. WILCOX.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SOLDER T0 SHEET METAL BLANKS.

[Application filed Oct. 17, 1901.1

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-She's! 2.

m: "cams PETERS m. FHOTO-LIYHO WASHWGTON. n. c

No. 695,520. P atel ited mar. l8, I902. a. WILCOX.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SOLDER TU SHEET METAL BLANKS;

(Application filed Oct. 17, 1901.]

(No Model.) 4 $heeis-Sheet 3.

.v y My No. 695,520. 7 Patented Mar. 18, 1902.

I s. wlLcox. MACHINE FOB APPLYING SOLDER 'TO SHEET METAL BLANKS.

(A plication filed Oct. 17 1901.)

(lo Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

m'zzws I UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WILCOX, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

IVIACHIN E FOR APPLYING SOLDER TO SHEET-M ETAL BLAN KS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 695,520, dated March 18, 1902. I

Application filed October 1'7 1901- Serial No. 79,042. (No model.) 7

T on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE WILCOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Machine for Applying Solder to Sheet-Metal Blanks, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to apparatus to be 10 used in the construction of vessels or receptacles, and particularly to machines forpdipping the body plate or blank from whichsuch vessel or receptacles are to be constructed into the adhesive material, so as to form thereon a rib or strip of solder, which when the blank is formed into a body is melted to complete the seam; and one of the objects of thisinvention is to provide a conveyor ton'eceive the'body plate or blank, convey the same a predetermined distance, then grip th blank and immerse one end thereofin a bath of adhesive material, and finally discharge or release the blank after the same has been provided with a rib or bead of adhesive ma- 2 5 terial. 1 4 1.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bead or rib of adhesive material only upon one side of the body plate or blank.

It is also an object of this invention to ap 3o ply acid or similar material upon the blank during the transportation of the latter through the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to heat or warm that end of the blank to which 3 5 the acid and adhesive material are applied before the blank receives such application.

Furthermore, an object of this invention is to provide a machine constructed to form a bead or rib of adhesive material upon .a

0 body plate or blank at a distance from the extremity thereof, solthat such bead may be caused to run into and seal the seam of the vessel-body.

With these and otherv objects in view the 4 5 invention consists,essential1y,in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying this invention with the conveyer mechanism removed therefrom. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the complete machine. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the'machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective View ofthe upper portion of the machine, illustrating the position of the body plates or blanksduringthepassageofthesamethrough the machine and the method of wiping the same; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the conveyer mechanism, illustrating the construction of the cradles.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 1 designates standards or supports, which may be secured upon the floor or other surface whereon the machine is supported, and to the upper end of each of said standards are preferably secured parallel anglebars or side pieces 2, to which are desirably secured arch-pieces 3 and 4:, preferably provided with attaching-flanges 5 and 6, respectively, constructed to receive .bolts 7 to retain the arch-piecesin position in an adjustable manner upon the ends of the side pieces 2, Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and the arch end piece 4 is preferably larger than the archpiece 3, substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and each of the arch-pieces 3 and 4 is preferably provided with a slotted upper edge 8 and 9, respectively, Fig. 1,'the former being designed to receive bolts 10, which adjustably secure inclined arms 11, having upturned ends 12, connected by a cross-piece 13, having a longitudinal slot 14 to receive belts or other devices 15, which adj ustably secure o i said cross-piece upon said ends 12, and a finger or guide 16 may be adj ustably mounted on said slotted cross-piece, constructed to guide the body plate or blank'X in the passage of the latter through the machine. 5 Mounted upon the cross-piece 13 is a receptacle or reservoir 17 for the acid or other material used, and the reservoir may be provided with a discharge-tube 18, constructed to convey the contents of the reservoir upon fric- Ioo tion disks or rollers 19, carried by an arm 20, attached to the end 12 of the inclined arms 11, Fig. 2, said rollers being adapted to contact with the edge of the blank X and apply the acid thereto during the passage of the blank beneath the roller, as will be readily understood.

One of the arms 11 is preferably provided with a laterally-extending notched flange 21, and the other arm 11 is desirably provided with a narrow flange 22, which flanges, together with the supports or adjustable brackets 23, are designed to receive and support the blanks X when the same are introduced into the machine, and the inclined arms 11 may be provided with spring-guides 24 to prevent the excessive upward movement of the blanks X when the same are taken up by the conveyer mechanism, as hereinafter explained.

Suitably mounted upon the side pieces 2 are intermediate arch-pieces 25 and 26, the former being constructed to support a tank or receptacle 27 to retain the adhesive material employed, which may be heated by a burner 28, having connection 29 with the source of supply of any suitable heating agent, and upon the arch-pieces 25 are mounted parallel rails 30, Figs. 1 and 2, preferably cut away, as'shown at 31, Figs. 2 and 5, and above the cut-away portion of the rails 30 is preferably mounted an upper guide-rail 32, supported by brackets 33, secured to the rail 30, Fig. 2, by means of which construction the wheels of the conveyer mechanism are depressed at a predetermined place or places in their travel.

Secured upon and depending from the side pieces 2 is a yoke or frame 34, to which and to the standards or supports lare preferably secured parallel lower rails 35, Figs. 2 and 3, and the feeding end of the apparatus is preferably provided with a curved or segmental apron 36, Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

Mounted in the slotway 9 of the arched end piece 4 are parallel arms or guides 37, preferably provided with flanges 38 and desirably supporting a receiver 39 for the dipped blanks X, Figs. 1 and 2, and said arms 37 are preferably adj ustably bolted to a'slotted crosspiece 40, carrying adjustable depressing-fingers 41 and a curved guide 42, constructed to direct the blanks into the receiver 39 after the same have been released by the conveyer mechanism.

Astandard 43 may be mounted upon one of the side pieces 2 and is desirably constructed with a bearing 44, in which is movably mounted an arm 45, carrying a shaft 46, provided with a sheave 47 andwith a wiper 48, and the standard 43 may support a shield 49 for the wiper, Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of the drawings, and twin sheaves or pulleys 50 are preferably carried by the arm 45, which also may be provided with a counterbalance 51 to regulate the position of the wiper and the pressure exerted thereby upon the end of the blank X when the same passes therebelow.

Formed on or connected with one of the upper rails 30 is a standard 52, carrying guide sheaves or pulleys 53, constructed to receive a driving belt or band 54, passing over a driven wheel 55 upon a shaft 56, journaled in hangers 57, formed on or connected with the side pieces 2, said shaft carrying a driving-wheel 58, Fig. 1, that may be actuated in any desired manner, and said belt or band 54 passes over the sheaves or pulleys 50 on. the arm 45 and around the sheave or pulley 47 on the shaft of the wiper to impart motion to the latter, preferably a very rapid motion.

Standards 59 are mounted upon the arched end piece 4 and carry a rocking shaft 60, provided with cranks 61 and 62, preferably having slotted ends, and a spring 63 is adjustably mounted in the slotted end of the crank 61 and may be adjustably connected with one of the side pieces 2, as shown at 64, Fig. 2 of the drawings, and adj ustably mounted in the slotted end of the crank 62 is a link or rod 65, movably connected with one end of a lever 66, attached at 67 to one of the side pieces 2, and preferably carries a roller 68, engaging a double cam 69 on the shaft 56, whereby the rock-shaft is actuated and the fingers 7O thereon are caused to contact with the blanks X and force the same into the receptacle 39.

A shaft 71 is mounted in bearings 72 upon the side pieces 2, near the discharge end of the machine, and said shaft preferably carries octagonal wheels 73, preferably carrying laterally-extending lugs 74, Fig. 1, and mounted in adjustable bearings 75 near the feeding end of the machine is a shaft 76, carrying similar wheels 77, it being understood that there are preferably two octagonal wheels on each of the shafts 71 and 76, which are constructed to receive links 78, which are preferably pivotally connected by wheeled shafts 79, the flanged wheels 80 whereof are constructed to travel upon the rails 30 and 35, substantially as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. By means of this construction an endless con veyer is provided embodying two sets of'links 78, movably connected by a shaft 79, carrying the wheels 80, and this endless conveyer is actuated by the rotation of the wheels 73 and 77, the lugs of the latter preventing the displacement of the conveyer when passing thereover. The wheels 73 and 77 are preferably driven by a pinion 81 upon the shaft 56, which meshes with a gear-wheel 82 upon the shaft 71, Fig. l.

Referring particularly to Figs. 5 and 6, the construction of the conveyer mechanism will be described. As before stated, the links 78 are movably connected by means of the shafts 79, carrying the flanged wheels 80, and upon said shafts are secured bearings 85, each of which is adapted to receive one end of a transverse shaft 86, the other end whereof is preferably mounted in a similar bearing 87 upon a cross-bar 88 near the opposite end of the link, and a transverse shaft 86 preferably carries a pinion 89, meshing with a rack-bar 90 upon a reciprocating bar 91, mounted in bearings 92 in the links on one side of the conveyer and passing through a similar bearing in the links upon the other side of the conveyer and through a bracket 94, Figs. 5 and -6, and upon the end of the bar 91 is mounted a roller or other device 95, constructed to travel in a camway 96, preferably constructed with portions 97, 98, 99, and 100, which act upon the rollers to extend the bars 91 first laterally or away from the wiper side of the conveyer, thereby rotating the pinion 89 toward the wiper side of the apparatus and tilting the cradles into a vertical position, as indicated by the first two cradles in Fig. 5 and the first cradle in Fig. 6. After the roller 95 shall have passed into the portion 98 of the cam the bar 91 has been partially returned to the initial position thereof on entering the camway, and the blank X is passed beneath the wiper 48. in a slightly-inclinedposition, as shown in Fig. 5, in which position the rapidly-revolvin g wiper removes the adhesive material from that side of the blank, and

upon the passage of the roller 95 into the portion 99 of the camway the bar 91 will be forced farther toward the wiper side of theconveyer and the pinion 89 will berotatedin an opposite direction or away from said side, thereby bringing the blanks X, Fig. 5,.intoa vertical position, withthedipped end up, in order that the adhesive material upon the under side of the blank may gravitate away from the edge of the blank and form a bead or rib at a distance therefrom, substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Upon the further travelof the roller 95 into the straight portion 100 of the camwaythe bar 91 will be again drawnslightly away from the wiper side of the conveyer,.thereby returning the cradles toa horizontal position, as shown by the last two blanks X in-Fig. f the draw-,

ings. The cradles are preferably provided with receiving portions ortables-lOl and with .a shaft 102, whereon are mounted jaws or grippers 103, normally forced upon the tables 101 by the action of-a spring 104, secured thereto and to the body .of the cradle, and

upon the shaft 102Iis mounted a releasing;

arm 105, constructed to engagewith the periphery of flanged wheels106 and 107, respectively, mounted upon the shafts 76 and 71, and to release the grippers 103 from the era dles, which are also-provided with'a stop pin ing forced off of the cradle by theactionof or lug 106 to prevent the blanks X from bethe grippers 103. A finger or support 107 may be secured tothe cradle and a standard or. support 108 may be adjustably mounted at, the other side of the cradle, substantially as;

. on, into its initial horizontal position, when shown at 109 in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

, A burner 110 is preferably mounted adjacent to one end of the inclined arms 11 and is provided with suitable connections 111 with the source of supply of a heating agent hesive material employed to facilitate the action of the material thereon.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the acompanying drawings and the following eX- planation thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 5, the blank X is laid upon the flanges 21 and 22 of the inclined arms 11 and upon the supports 23, where it is retained by the notches or shoulders thereon until it is engaged by the fingers 107 and 108 upon the cradle, the grip-- pers 103 being held away from the cradle by the action of the wheel 106 upon the releasing-arm 105 as the cradles pass over said wheel. Then upon further movement of the conveyer the end of the blank X is passed beneath and subjected to the action of the flame from the burner 110, which heats said end,

apparatus and rotating the pinion 89 in an opposite direction, thereby tilting the cradle toward the wiper side of, the conveyor until I the blank on the cradle in question is brought into a .vertical position, Figs. 2 and 5, and

about this time the wheels supporting the eradle in question descend upon thecut-away portion 31.0f the upper rails 30 and permit the descent of the cradles supported thereby, thus dipping the depending endsof the blank X into the adhesive material within thetank or receptacle 27, substantially as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 20f the drawings. When the roller shall have traveled into the :portion 98 of the camway, the reciprocating. bar 91 will'have been forced toward the wiper side of the conveyer, thereby returning the IIO cradle to a substantially'horizontalposition,

during. the passage beneaththe wiper48,which removes from the upper side thereof the ad hesive material, whereupon the blank X is turnedv into a vertical position by the further travel of the roller 95 into the portion 99 of the camway, in which position the adhesive materialonthe upwardly-extending end .of the blank X gravitates away from the edge thereof and forms a bead or rib of. ma terial at a distance from said edge, substantially as illustrated at the right of Fig. 5 of the drawings. The further travel of the conveyerbrings the roller v95into the straight portion of the camwayflhereby returning the cradle, together with the blank therethe releasing-arm engages the periphery of the flanged wheel 107, thereby releasing the grippers 103 and allowing the dipped blankzX to be forced by the fingers 70 on the V rocking arm 60 into the receiver 39..

It is not desired to confine this invention to the specific construction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein shown and de scribed, and the right is reserved to make all such changes in and modifications of the same as come within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim- 1. An apparatus of the character described provided with conveying mechanism constructed to receive a body plate or blank in the flat and dip the same in adhesive material and invert the blank to cause the material to recede from the edge of the blank.

2. An apparatus of the character described provided with wheels and conveyer mechanism passing thereover constructed to dip a blank into adhesive material and invert the same to cause the material to recede from the edge of the blank.

3. In combination, with octagonal wheels, a conveyer made up of links pivoted together and arranged to pass over said wheels, means for applying solder to the blank, and means carried by the conveyer for holding the blank and for inverting it before the solder sets to allow the solder to creep down and form a rib-like deposit removed from the edge, substantially as described.

4. In combinatiommeans for applying adhesive material to both sides of a sheet-metal piece, means for wiping the adhesive material from one side of the said piece and means for inverting the piece to allow the adhesive material to recede from the edge before setting to form a rib-like deposit, substantially as described.

versely of the conveyer, a bath for the solder,

a camwa-y and means operated by the camway and connected with the cradles to dip the sheet-metal pieces into the bath, remove them therefrom and to invert and hold them in inverted position to allow the solder to recede from the edge of the sheet-metal pieces, substantially as described.

7. An apparatus of the character described provided with a camway, devices in engage- .ment therewith carrying rack-bars, cradles carrying pinions meshing therewith, whereby the cradles are rocked by the passage of said devices through said way andmeans for conveying said cradles, the said rack-bars being reciprocated by the camway, substantially as described.

8. An endless conveyer provided with links wheeled shafts movablyconnccting said links bearings on said shafts, spindles in said bearings and cradles upon said spindles.

9. An endless conveyer provided with links, wheeled shafts movably connecting said links and having bearings,transverse shafts mounted in said bearings and cradles carried by the latter shaft constructed to rock thereon.

10. An endless conveyer provided with links,wheeled shafts movably connecting said links and having bearings, transverse shafts mounted in said bearings, cross-bars having bearin gs to support one end of said transverse shafts, cradles upon the latter shafts and means for rocking the cradles.

11. An endless conveyer provided with pivoted links, shafts mounted between the links and parallel thereto, cradles on said shafts, rack-bars mounted in said links meshing with pinions on said shaft and means for actuating the rack-bars to rock the cradles.

12. An endless conveyer provided with pivoted links, shafts mounted between the links and parallel thereto, cradles on said shafts, rack-bars mounted in said links meshing with pinions on said shafts and carrying rollers and a camway in which the rollers travel to rock the cradles.

13. An endless conveyor provided with wheeled shafts, links mounted thereon, crossbars between the links, hearings on said shafts and bars, transverse shafts mounted in said bearings and carrying pinions, cradles on the transverse shafts and means for operating said pinions to rock the cradles,

14. An endless conveyer provided with wheeled shafts, links mounted thereon, crossbars between the links, bearings on said shafts and bars, transverse shafts mounted in said bearings and carrying pinions, cradles on the transverse shafts and a rack-bar mounted in said links and meshing with said pinions and carrying a roller and means engaging the roller to reciprocate the rack-bar.

15. A transversely-rocking cradle provided with retaining-fingers,grippers mounted upon the cradle, an arm for releasing the grippers, a spring to force the grippers upon thecradle and means for conveying the cradles and operating said arm, said cradle and grippers being arranged to hold a sheet-metal piece in flat form, substantially as described.

16. A transversely-rockin g cradle provided with retaining-fingers,grippers mounted upon the cradle, an arm for releasing the grippers, a spring to force the grippers upon the cradle, wheels to depress said arms as the cradles pass thereover to release the grippers and means for conveying the cradle, said cradle and grippers being arranged to hold a sheetmetal piece in fiat form, substantially as described.

17. The combination with means for applying molten solder to the edge of a piece of sheet metal in flat form, of means for holding said sheet-metal piece in flat form with its molten-soldcr-coated edge uppermost before and while the solder sets to allow the solder to creep down and forma rib-like deposit removed from the extreme edge of thesheetmetal piece and seam-section, substantially as specified. 1

18. The combination with a solder-bath, of means for dipping the edge of apiece of sheet metal therein while in flat form, and means for turning the said sheet-metal piece in fiat form with its dipped edge uppermost before the solder thereon sets and holding it in such position to allow the solder to flow down and form a rib-like deposit removed from the extreme edge of the piece and seam-section, s ubstantially as described.

19. Means for forming a rib-like deposit ona sheet-metal piece of flat form consisting of means for applying molten solder to the edge portion of said piece, means for holding said piece with its molten-solder-coated edge uppermost in a substantially horizontal line before the solder sets to allow the solder to creep down and form a rib-like deposit removed from the edge and seam-section and parallel to said edge, substantially'as described.

20. Means for forminga rib-like deposit on a sheet-metal piece in'cluding a solder-bath and a holder for the piece to hold'it in flat form and means whereby the edge of the sheet-metal piece in flat form is dipped into the bath with its edge in substantially a horizontal line and for turning the said piece in flat form with its molten-solder-coated edge uppermost before and while the solder thereon sets while maintaining the horizontal position of the edge to allow the solder to' creep down and form a rib-like deposit removed from the extreme edge and seam-section and parallel to said edge, substantially as "described. j I

21. In combination, means for applyingsol der to a sheet-metal piece in flat form including a bath and holding means, said holding means receiving the sheet-metal piece in flat form andin a substantially horizontal posi-v tion and having movement'to turn the flat sheetmetal piece so that its edge will dip into the bath and for then inverting the flat shee t{ metal piece so thatitsdipp'ed edge will be uppermost to allow the solder to recede from the dipped edge before. setting, substantially as described. z

22. In combination, means for applying solder to a sheet-metal piece inflat form including a bath and holding means, said holding means receiving the sheet-metal piece in flat form and in a 'substantially horizontal position and having m'ovemen't to turnthe fiat sheet-metal piece so that its edge will dip into" the bath and for then inverting the fiat sheetmetal piece so that its dipped edge will beuppermost to allow the solder to recede fromthe dipped edge before setting, and meansffor wiping one side of the blank before it is in? verted, substantially as described.

23. Means for applying solder to sheetmetal pieces in flat form comprising a bath for themolten solder, a holder to receive and der from the upper side of the sheet-metal piece, said holder having a further movement to turn the sheet-metal piece with its solder-coated edge uppermost before setting, substantially as described. g

24:. In combination with a bath, means for holding a sheet-metal piece in flat form and carrying the same edgewise along the bath with one edge dippingtherein and means for turning'the blank with the dipped edge uppermost before the solder sets to allow the solder to creep down and forma rib-like deposit removed from the edge, substantially as described. 1 V

25. In combination wit-h a conveyer, a cradle carried thereby and supported to rock in a direction transversely of the direction of movement of the'conveyer, said cradle beingarranged to hold a sheet-metal piece in fiat form, means for supplying solder to the sheetmetal piece and means for turning the blank with the dipped edge uppermost before the solder setsto allow the solder to creep downand "form a rib-like deposit removed from the edge, substantially as described.

26. In combination, a conveyor, a cradle arranged to rock in a direction transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyer and a bath, said cradle servingto dip the sheet-metal piece therein and toinvert the same before the solder sets to allow the'sol-F der to creep down and forma rib-like deposit removed from the edge, substantially as de-;

scribed. i

27. lncombina'tio'n'in a 'machine for form ing solder ribs upon sheet-metal blanks in flat formja' traveling carrier, means'thereon for receiving the sheet-metal pieces in fiat form and {in} a substantially horizontal. position, means for-turning the said: flat sheet-metal pieces up on edge, a solder b'a'th for applying solder to the lower edges'of said sheet-metal' pieces and means for turning the fiat 'sheetf metal pieces with" their solder-'coatededges uppermost before the solder sets, substantially'as described. p

Init-estimony whereof have fsigned my nameto this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y I i V GEORGE WILCOX; Witnesses:

J W. KEMP,

B. ALDERETE. 

